Women’s basketball: Hodgins sisters lead way with 45 points as EWU holds off Southern Utah to stay undefeated in Big Sky
Hayley Hodgins led the way with a game-high 24 points, sister Delaney Hodgins scored 21 and Eastern Washington’s dynamic duo powered the Eagles to another closely contested Big Sky Conference victory as EWU defeated Southern Utah in Cedar City, Utah.
The Eagles (11-6, 4-0 Big Sky) shot effectively from the perimeter with 13 made 3-pointers on 34 attempts as Hayley Hodgins made 6 of 13 shots from distance, helping to cancel out the Thunderbirds’ 32-18 scoring advantage in the paint
Jamie Smith’s 18 points led a balanced attack for Southern Utah (3-12, 0-4), which battled back from a 12-point halftime deficit to tie the game at 73-73 with 3:10 remaining in the fourth quarter before Hayley Hodgins added her sixth 3-pointer of the night and made four straight free throws to salt away the game.
As they’ve done in 14 of 16 games this season the Hodgins sisters were the top two scorers for the Eagles, who sit second place in the conference behind also-undefeated Montana State (5-0).
Idaho 72, Northern Arizona 51: Freshman Taylor Pierce scored a game-high 14 points in her first action as as starter and the Vandals built on a five-point halftime lead to overwhelm the host Lumberjacks in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Geraldine McCorkell added 13 points, Karlee Wilson scored 12 and Ali Forde 11 for the Vandals (11-5, 3-1). Kaleigh Paplow paced NAU (5-10, 1-3) with 13 points.
WCC
BUY 58, Gonzaga 54: Kalani Purcell led the way with 17 points and six 16 rebounds and hit a jumper with 1:27 remaining as the Cougars stormed back with a huge fourth quarter to defeat the visiting Bulldogs in Provo, Utah, to move into a tie with GU atop the conference standings.
Shelby Cheslek led the Bulldogs with 11 points and Kiara Kudron scored 10 but Gonzaga (13-5, 5-1) couldn’t hold a seven-point lead entering the final period as the Cougars (13-4, 5-1) closed the game on a 17-4 run.